The Amnesiac Patient
by Dreams-of-Oompa-Loompas
Summary: A boy was crossing the road, and Lorelai slammed her heel on the brakes, but it was too late. The boy hit the ground with a sickening thud. Lorelai scrambled out of the car to the unconcious teen... Jess is in from start of show. Lit.
1. Accidents and Amnesia

The Amnesiac Patient

Summary: Starts in episode 1.01. Jess is sent to Stars Hollow early. A rushing Lorelai hits a boy heading to his bus. Uh oh! Right after the fight in the first episode, only a few days before the Friday Night Dinner.

Jess Mariano paced around the bench once. Then twice. The very smooth Liz Danes had sent him off to dear old Uncle Luke in some town so small it was off the map.

He could get on another bus. Jess stood at the Hartford station. Buses to everywhere nearly were available, and had he any money, he'd take off to California, or back to New York. The Stars Hollow, that was the name of the freaking town, bus sat in a corner, to leave in a few minutes. Jess groanekd and got up to cross the street and board the bus. Halfway across, he was distracted, and didn't notice a green jeep screeching towards him.

* * *

Lorelai was exhausted. The crazy fight she'd had the night before with her 15 year old daughter had drained her. This was their first big fight. Feeling very spacy, she took a big sip of her coffee, looking back to the road.

"Oh!"

A boy was crossing the road, and Lorelai slammed her heel on the brakes, but it was too late. The boy hit the ground with a sickening thud. Lorelai scrambled out of the caar to the unconcious teen.

* * *

As they loaded the dark-haired boy into the ambulance, Lorelai asked to go with him.

"Who are you?" The paramedic asked.

Before she responded, the policeman she'd been talking to did. "She's the woman who hit him."

Lorelai pursed her lips and glared at the man's tone. It wasn't like she meant to hit the boy.

* * *

Sitting in a hospital chair, the second Lorelai attempted again to call Rory. Again, to no avail, there was no response, but instead, Rory's answering machine. Lorelai groaned at remembering that her phone was broken because the ingenious Kirk Gleason was working at the phone company this week.

She called Sookie.

"Hey Sook, I'll probably be coming in late today," Lorelai said, tired.

"Oh, why?"

"I got in an accident."

"What, are you ok? Do you need a doctor?" Sookie's panicked voice asked.

"I'm fine Sookie, I just hit a boy."

"What!"

Lorelai explained the situation.

"Ok sweetie, take your time at getting in today," Sookie said before getting back to work.

A doctor closed the door of the room the boy was in. Lorelai stood up, wringing her purse handle in guilt.

"Is he ok?" She asked. Lorelai knew nothing of the teen's situation.

"He has bruised ribs, and his left arm is broken, but other wise, he's fine." The doctor replied. Lorelai let out a sigh of relief.

"But..." the doctor hesitantly said.

"But? No but! What but?" Lorelai nervously and quickly said.

"He has no recollection of anything. He can't remember his name, or parent's or anything."

Lorelai put her hands over her face. Feeling worse, her guilt felt overwhelming. '_Great,'_ she thought, '_Now I took his memory.'_

"There have been no reports of missing children or anything, but the police and I agree that we think he may have been a runaway. After all, he was found at the bus station." The doctor's calm voice continued. "Until we find his parents, we'll probably send him to-"

"I'll take him!" Lorelai blurted out, her mind left behind as words raced off. "I mean, it's better than him being somewhere where people have others they have to take care of. He has no idea who he is, and it's probably not a great feeling. I just-I feel horrible about hitting him." The doctor raised her eyebrows at the babbling woman.

"Like maternal instincts," she concluded for Lorelai.

Lorelai nodded. "He has no one right now..." she continued.

Nodding, the doctor looked to the room. "I'll get some forms for you to fill out...you can talk to him, but-" the doctor stopped and then gave the Gilmore a small smile and went off to get the forms.

Lorelai entered the room, and the dark haired boy looked up. He had a blue cast on his left arm, which was in a sling, and wore a thin hospital shirt.

"Hello..." Lorelai started. He looked at her silently, his expression unable to read.

"You don't know me..." she chuckled nervoiusly. "But...uh...I'm the person who hit you...heh..."

He blinked.

"I'm Lorelai..." she said, walking over and extending her hand. He glanced up at it and didn't shake it.

"Ok, I see this is going to be...different..." She rubbed the side of her head. "So...you don't remember anything?"

He shook his head.

"Do you talk? She laughed nervously.

"I woke up being wheeled on a cart and asked the doctor's what the hell they were doing," he replied, and Lorelai blinked, surprised at hearing his voice, and unsure where he was joking or telling the truth.

"Ok..." she said. "Well, um... apparently, you're coming home with me..."

"I don't even know you," he replied.

"Yes, well...no one knows who you are, so its this, or with me."

* * *

"Sooooooo..." Lorelai said as they drove to Stars Hollow.

"Sooooo..." the boy dryly repeated, still staring out the window,

"I think you need a name," she said, feeling better.

The boy turned to look at her like she was crazy. "What am I, a dog?" He scoffed.

"Everyone needs a name," Lorelai continued. "What would the world be like if everyone went around and talked like, 'Hey boy', and 'hey girl'."

"Exactly how it is now." He responded.

"How about Dave? You look like a Dave," she asked.

He snorted at it, then noticed the sign of the town they were entering.

"Stars Hollow," he read aloud.

"Yeah. You recognize it?" She asked from his strange tone.

He shrugged. "From somewhere," he replied as they turned. Some people gawked at the car.

"Damn, I've got to get these windows darkened. Well," she went back tothe previous subject, "you couldn't of lived here, or I would've recognized you. This is a very small town, and everyone knows everyone." She continued as they pulled into a driveway of a white house.

Lorelai got out a car and the teen followed.

"I think we'll call you Joe. Simple, easy to remember." Lorelai said.

"Yeah, you might as well call me Billy Bob and it's the same thing," his dry sense of humor said. Lorelai couldn't help laugh at the thought of his real name being Billy Bob. She took out her keys and unlocked the door, and she remembered Rory was probably home from school by now.

"I have a daughter." She abruptly turned and said this to Joe as they entered the living room.

"She's 15. Probably around your age."Lorelai said to him.

"Rory?" She called out as music came from Rory's room. Lorelai suddenly remembered that they were fighting.

Lorelai knocked hard on her daughter's door as Joe looked around the kitchen.

The door opened, suddenly, the music now off, and Rory opened her mouth to say something, but saw a dark-haired boy wearing a cast on his arm wandering around her kitchen and said something completely different. "Who's that?" She asked in confusion.

"Joe." Lorelai replied. "Long story short, I hit him with the Jeep, and he has amnesia, and will be staying with us."

Rory's mouth fell open, and she gaped at her mom. "Short story long please," she asked.

Lorelai jerked her head back to Joe, and Rory ducked inside her room and came back out. She shoved a book in Joe's hands and put her hands on his shoulders, backing him out of the kitchen and into the living room. "Occupy yourself," she quickly said, hurrying back into the kitchen.

Joe smirked at the girl, then lookekd down at a familiar looking book in his hands.

HOWL. Where had he heard that before?


	2. The Welcoming Committee

Disclaimer: Santa, could you please bring me Gilmore Girls for Christmas?

A/N: Sorry I took so long to update! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I worship them; I have a shine built for them with a dollar bill and bowl of pudding next to them. So thank you, thank you, thank you! Love you all!

Now remember: Joe is Jess. Jess is Joe. May be confusing at first.

* * *

**Chapter Two: ****The Welcoming Committee**

"Wow."

"I know," Lorelai sighed, putting a hand to her forehead.

"I can't believe you ran over someone." Rory gaped.

Lorelai gasped. "I did NOT run over him!"

"You hit him, which is basically the same thing." Rory logically said.

"No, they are very different things. If I ran over him, he'd be a pancake now." Lorelai said, then shuddered at the possibility. "Fight over?" She asked.

"Yeah," Rory gave a small smile.

"We have dinner with your grandparents tommorow," Lorelai remembered.

"Oh yeah." Rory let out a sigh.

They were silent.

"It's quiet out there." Lorelai noticed.

"Yeah," Rory's voice was in awe. "You think he's really reading?"

Lorelai raised an eyebrow. "A teenage boy with amnesia who is staying in a stranger's house in a place he doesn't recognize decides to sit and read? With all the other wonderful things to do?"

They looked into the living room, where "Joe" sat on the couch, awkwardly holding the book in his broken arm, his eyes running over the pages.

"Wow." Lorelai said in surprise. "Guess I was wrong." She whispered to her daughter. She smiled deviously, "He likes to read."

Rory watched Joe as his face was intent on the pages. Not like he was skimming through, but as if he was trying to interpret every word. Lorelai gave her arm a slight squeeze. "A match made in heaven," she grinned devilishly.

The young teen turned pink at her mother's words. "Mom..." she hissed.

"Cute too. Looks like your type." Lorelai nudged Rory again, who continued to blush, unable to deny her mother's words.

Lorelai entered the living room. "Joe," she said. He took a moment to respond, not used to his new name.

"Joe, this is Rory, Rory, this is Joe...I think..." Lorelai said. Joe smirked slightly at their previous encounter. He nodded in acknowledgement to her.

"Does he talk?" Rory asked jokingly to her mother.

"I've heard rumors," Lorelai joked back.

The room was quiet.

"So um...you like the book?" Lorelai awkwardly asked.

"I think I've read it before," Joe said. "I recognize it."

Lorelai held in a laugh as she noticed Rory's eyes light up.

"I'm going to go get some stuff for Joe." Lorelai told Rory. "You need a matress and some clothes and stuff," she told Joe, then grabbed her keys. "Why don't you show Joe around town or something? I'm sure the Babette and Miss Patty already know he's here. They probably know more than he does," she chuckled. "Bye!"

Rory gave a slight wave. Joe looked to Rory and handed her the book.

"Wha-" she started, than flipped through the pages. There was cramped handwriting in the corners and sides.

"You wrote in my book." Rory said, her voice surprised.

Joe shrugged. "Just some thoughts," he had a lopsided smirk at how awed she looked. She glanced up to see him watching her and turned a faint pink.

"So, aren't you supposed to give me a tour or something?" He smirked.

* * *

"That's the video store, and over there is the high school," Rory pointed out the buildings. 

"Do you go there?" Joe asked.

"No. I used to, but now I'm starting at a new school."

"Private school?" He asked. She glanced over at him. "I saw the paperwork on the coffeetable."

She smiled slightly. "We're very observative, aren't we," she said.

"Yes, we are," he replied with a smirk.

They continued to walk down the streets.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked.

Rory looked surprised at his question, then shook her head, embarrassed. "No, no. I don't."

"Ahh." He replied, then paused. "Have you always lived in this town?"

Rory raised an eyebrow. "You're very curious."

He shrugged. "I've got no recollection of my life. Gotta live vicariously through someone's."

She let out a light laugh. "Well, we moved here when I was one, but we lived in the potting shed behind the inn until about 6 years ago." She said.

"Potting shed?" He asked.

"Hey, don't mock." Rory pouted.

He threw up his hands in defense. "I'm not. For all I know, I live in a cardboard box." He chuckled. Rory laughed and a soft blush crept up her cheeks.

* * *

There were whispers and murmurs as the pair walked through town. 

"This town is so weird." Joe said to Rory with a laugh.

"Hey, the giant slinky is the town's pride and joy."

"Exactly my point." He smirked. "So, what's up with everyone?"

"Well, you're new." She shrugged. "You're the talk of the town." She looked to the places across the street. "There's the arcade, bookstore, and Luke's diner. Wanna go in?"

Joe looked at it strangely. Through the window, he could see a man with a baseball cap and flannel shirt. The whole thing gave off weird vibes. "I-"

"Rory darling, there you are!" Miss Patty came waltzing up to the two of them. "And this must be the poor soul himself."

"Uh, this is Joe. Well, we call him Joe." Rory said. Miss Patty eyed Joe with a smile on her face. He cringed away slightly.

"How are you feeling?" Patty asked him.

"Fine." He monotonously replied.

"My my, we certainly know how to choose them," Patty winked at Rory, who turned a dark red. She walked away. "Bye honey."

Joe turned to Rory. "What is she talking about?"

"Nothing." Rory blushed. "Why don't we go into Doose's and get some stuff for dinner?"

He nodded and they started heading to the market.

* * *

"Appetite much?" 

Rory blushed and glanced down at the overfilled basket of goodies. "We Gilmores eat a lot."

Joe chuckled. "It definitely doesn't show." He grabbed a bag of Gobstoppers. "These too."

She laughed.

"Hey." A voice said. The two turned and saw a tall, floppy haired teen.

"Hey. Dean." Rory said, her eyes glancing to Joe.

"Thanks for showing me around yesterday. Patty got me a job here as bagboy." Dean smiled goofily. "Who's this?"

"Oh, Dean, this is Joe...well, we think."

Dean nodded and gave a polite smile. "Hey."

Joe gave a slight nod, his face blank. "Hi," he said firmly.

"Well, I should get back to work," Dean said, leaning slightly towards Rory. "Bye."

She flushed pink and glanced away from Joe for a moment.

"Soo..." he said. "Are you the official tour guide or something," he asked. She smiled at him, turning darker.

"Something like that."

* * *

As they entered the Gilmore home, Lorelai had just arrived. 

"Ahh, there you are. Look." Lorelai started emptying the bags, pulling out plain shirts and jeans. "I guessed on the sizes."

Joe and Rory moved forward, as Rory headed into the kitchen to put away the groceries.

After Joe had settled into the couch to read, Lorelai entered the kitchen.

"Have you called Grandma and Grandpa yet?" Rory asked as Lorelai entered the kitchen.

"Umm..."

Rory sighed. "You should at least tell them you're harboring a stranger for some time."

Lorelai groaned. "You obviously don't know them as well as I do."

The young girl rolled her eyes. "I'll be in the living room."

"Making goo goo eyes at Joe?" Lorelai teased.

Rory glared at her mother and held up a book. "I'll be reading," she tersely said, walking out.

Lorelai smirked to herself, then groaned, picking up the phone.

"Hello?" A voice responded the phone.

"Hey mom." Lorelai said.

"Lorelai, are you trying to get out of dinner already?"

Lorelai rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to say what was on the tip of her tongue now. "No. I just wanted to call you."

"Really?" Emily sounded suspicious. "What about?"

"Well, earlier today, I was in an accident," Lorelai started.

"Is everything ok?" Emily quickly asked.

"Yeah, mom, everything's ok. I accidently hit this kid-"

"You-"

"Mom, let me explain...Well, he got a broken arm, and bruised ribs, and uh...amnesia."

"Pardon?" Emily asked, confused.

"Well, uh, he can't remember anything. So, we probably should stay home and take care of hi-"

"Bring him here."

"What?" She shouldn't have expected anything less from Emily Gilmore.

"Well, we want to make sure he's not going to murder you in your sleep or something."

"Mom, we can't-"

"Lorelai, we made a deal." She sternly said. Lorelai sighed and they said their goodbyes.

* * *

Rory sat on the chair near the couch. She peered up and saw Joe reading _The Fountainhead._

"That's my favorite book," she noted aloud. He glanced up, frowning.

"Ayn Rand is a politcal nut." He shook his head.

"Maybe, but no one can write a 40-page monolouge like her," Rory crossed her arms.

"I prefer Hemingway myself," Joe said.

Rory snorted. "Hemingway?" She grimaced. "My favorite book to cure my insomnia," she bantered back.

"Impossible. Hemingway's a classic," Joe shot back, a smirk on his face. Rory flushed and was about to speak when Lorelai came in.

"Well?" Rory asked her mom.

Lorelai was frowning, a small pout on her face. "Be afraid." she said to Joe. "Be very afraid."

* * *

A/N: Ok, so I FINALLY updated! Sorry about the long wait, but I was kinda braindead on this story. But I now know what I'm going to write, so I will be writing more soon! Please tell me what you think!

**Next Chapter: **Friday Night Dinner. Joe gets questioned by Richard. Luke is having a freak-out about a phone-call from Liz. Lorelai gets cornered by Babette.


	3. This is How We Roll

A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I know I took FOREVER to update, but I suck, and I'm lazy, and I procrastinate. ::shame shame:: Stephanie. Ugh. Well, I've written it now, a little in a rush if you ask me. Sorry if it sucks.

**The Amnesiac Patient**

**Chapter 3- This is How We Roll**

"Gah!" Lorelai cried out as she bumped into a dark figure as she headed down the stairs.

"Ah!" Rory let out a surprised yell.

"Geez, sorry," Lorelai said, brushing back her hair.

"Yeah." Rory nodded. "What are you doing down here?"

Lorelai bit her lip. "Getting water." She suspiciously said. "What are you doing?"

"Getting some water," Rory's eyes shifted to the couch, where a dark-haired teen was sleeping with a light snore.

"It's weird," Lorelai commented.

"Yeah," Rory agreed with a nod.

"There's never been a guy staying in this house. Ever." Lorelai said.

"I know!" Rory exclaimed, her eyes turning to the snoring boy.

"He snores," Rory added.

"I see that now," Lorelai also turned her gaze to the living room.

Joe shifted and turned over, nearly rolling off the couch in the process.

"What now?" Rory asked.

"We...go back to sleep I guess..." Lorelai blinked. Rory agreed and Lorelai started to head back up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Lorelai asked as Rory started to head into the kitchen.

"Getting some water," Rory said.

"Oh," her mother nodded.

* * *

"Brace yourselves," Lorelai remarked as she turned down the street and headed to the Gilmore mansion.

"Har har." Rory rolled her eyes. "They're not that bad," she turned to Joe and said.

"HAH!" Lorelai exclaimed. "You've never seen them on a bad day. Once we get in there, they attack, sink their teeth into us and inject their poison. This is why I always dreaded the holidays. Friday was a safe haven before." The older Gilmore pouted as she ended her rant.

"Does she usually talk this much?" Joe asked.

"Yes." "No." Rory and Lorelai replied simultaneously. Joe chuckled, glancing out the window as they pulled into the driveway.

"Big." He remarked, looking the tall building up and down.

"Be afraid." Lorelai repeated the words from before. "Be very afraid."

"Stop being so dramatic," Rory sighed, glancing behind her at Joe, who was staring out the window. Lorelai turned to her daughter, then followed her gaze to Joe. She nudged Rory in the ribs, grinning smugly. Rory's gaze snapped back to her mom and she rolled her eyes. "Let's go." She opened the door and stepped out as Lorelai and Joe followed.

"Huh." Joe stared up at the building, looking around at the big picture.

"Yep." Lorelai nodded, as she headed to the door. Before she managed to ring the doorbell, the large, wide doors swung open to a smiling Emily.

"Hello hello," Emily grinned, her "polite" smile plastered on her face. Lorelai jumped back in surprise.

"Geez mom, give us a heart attack will you." She said, grimacing at her mother's "polite face". As the Gilmores (and Joe) followed inside, Emily stood by the door, watching them pass in.

"Hello there." Emily said, turning to Joe. "You must be Joe. Nice to meet you." She extended her hand, and Joe took it a bit awkwardly. _Meeting the grandparents already,_ he cynically thought.

"Nice to meet you too," he said uncomfortably.

Emily's plastered smile continued. "Well come along them. Into the living room." She motioned as the group trailed after her. The trio settled into the couch that had accompanied only Lorelai and Rory the week before.

"So, Joe, I hear you were in an accident," Emily said in a sympathetic voice.

"Um." Joe glanced at the younger two of the Gilmores. "Yeah."

"That's terrible, accidents can be such a traumatic thing. And for a young man like yourself, to have to endure such a difficult experience such as memory loss. It must be horrible not to remember anything." Emily continued.

Lorelai buried her face in her hands, feeling embarrassed at her mother's undertone. Emily was blaming her very subtly.

Joe said nothing, casting a side-glance at Rory and Lorelai.

"How are you adjusting so far? It must be crowded staying where you are. That house was not made for so many," Emily kept pushing subtle hints at Lorelai of many things.

"Good evening," Richard Gilmore entered the living room and went forward to the group of three.

"Lorelai, Rory," he acknowledged them with a nod, "You must be Joe." Richard extended his hand for Joe to shake. Joe awkwardly took it. "It's a pleasure to meet you," Richard said with a formal smile. Joe nodded. Richard took a seat across from his wife and gave his classic "Richard-Gilmore-pleasure-doing-business-with-you-smile".

"So," he started, leaning forward. "I hear you were in an accident."

Lorelai slapped her forehead, burying her face in her hands. "Oh god," she mumbled in annoyance.

* * *

"Dinner is served," a maid came into the living room, where the group had been awkwardly trying to make conversation for the last 10 minutes.

"Thank you Petunia," Emily said, standing up. "Shall we?" She asked, a forced smile on her face. Lorelai, Rory and Joe drudgingly got up and followed Emily into the dining room.

"You may sit here," Emily motioned to the seat next to Rory.

"Ow," Rory said as Lorelai elbowed her quickly, then each sat at their own seat.

"So," Richard began about 2 minutes later, while everyone was eating, (well, Lorelai, Rory, and Joe were poking) at their salads. "What, exactly, are your intentions?"

Joe blinked, looking up to find Richard scrutinizing him. He felt like this was the part where he should gulp.

"Um, excuse me?"

"What are your plans? How are you planning on finding your parents? Getting back home? Surely, you're not going to mooch off of my daughter for the next 3 years?"

Joe narrowed his eyes, insulted.

"They have police on that, Dad," Lorelai informed him.

"I understand that Lorelai," he replied in a belittling tone. "But is this young man doing anything about it? Does he remember anything?"

"No, not exactly. I have this thing called, memory loss," Joe said, his forced polite tone failing for a moment. Rory gave him a daggered-look and he took a deep breath.

Richard scrunched up his face with a frown, looking intensely at Joe.

The rest of the dinner was spent quietly.

* * *

The ride home was spent quietly. Emily had given Lorelai some lamp at the end of dinner, which now took up the front seat. Rory and Joe sat in the back seat, neither saying much for the first few minutes.

"I am so sorry," Rory said. "He's never acted like that before."

"It's fine." Joe said.

"No, it's not. I'm really sorry," Rory continued to apologize. He couldn't help but smirk at her insistence.

"It could have been worse, I'll tell you that," Lorelai added.

"So...those are your parents..." Joe chuckled.

"I refuse to believe that." Lorelai smiled. Rory and Joe exchanged looks that Lorelai spotted in her rearview mirror. She grinned smugly.

"Home sweet home," she remarked as she pulled into the driveway.

They crawled out of the car and headed towards the cheerful structure (well, cheerful compared to an hour ago).

"I'm heading to Luke's for some coffee. Who wants to come?"

"I get to meet some of your delightful townspeople? I don't think so," Joe sarcastically said with a playful undertone. He remembered the stares he'd gotten when they'd driven into town, one of the biggest reasons he'd tried not to leave the Gilmore house.

"So cynical!" Lorelai jabbed her thumb at Joe. "Coming?" She asked Rory. "Oh right," she leaned closer, "you want to stay with your boyfriend," she smirked. Rory threw dagger-eyes at her, trying to stop a pink blush from forming on her cheeks, though it was hardly noticeable in the dark.

"Be back in a few!" Lorelai walked away from the house and Jeep as Rory and Joe entered the household.

* * *

"Ahh, I love the smell of coffee at 10 at night," Lorelai entered the diner, taking in a deep breath of the scent.

"We're closing up in a few," Luke said, as the second to last customer handed him some bills and left. Only one other person sat at a table, finishing up some pie.

"I'll only be a few," Lorelai bantered back, sitting at the counter. "Coffee mister man," she slapped her hand on the counter.

Luke rolled his eyes and turned, grabbing the coffee pot. "You're never going to be able to sleep if you have coffee this late." He grumbled, but kept pouring the drink into a mug. Lorelai ignored him and took the full cup, taking a long sip and savoring the taste. She closed her eyes blissfully, then opened them as Luke shifted around quickly.

"What's up with you?" She asked.

"Whadda you mean?" Luke almost snapped, closing the cash register as the last remaining man left.

"You're twitching," she said in an almost-amused tone.

"I'm not twitching. I don't twitch."

"You're acting all jittery and nervous," Lorelai remarked, raising an eyebrow. Luke let out a huff and turned, putting both his hands on the counter.

"I got a message from my sister that apparently was left 3 days ago. Which my phone didn't get because it's old and stupid. She says she's leaving me her kid, my nephew, with me for a while, because she can't handle him, because she's Liz and an irresponsible parent. I tried to call her back but evidently she's in _Maine_, and her phone line is disconnected. Now she never told me how the kid is getting here, or when he would get here, but I'm supposing he shoulda gotten here at least 2 days ago, and he hasn't showed up. Am I supposed to tell Liz I lost her kid? I don't even know where to start looking for him! For all I know, he ran off like his dad to Indiana or something!" Luke threw his hands up.

"Wow. Um. That's the most I've ever heard you say in one breath," Lorelai blinked, then moved on to the current problem. "You've tried calling her, right?"

"Yes, and I get that annoying message from the operator saying the line is disconnected, because Liz decided to drop everything, including the kid, and move to Maine." Luke worriedly yelled.

"Deep breathes there Luke," Lorelai put her hand up as she contemplated the situation. "When did you get the call?"

"Three days ago," he answered.

"So, maybe she hasn't sent him down here yet. Where does your sister live?"

" New York."

"So, maybe he's coming down in a few days."

"She said she was sending him the next day three days ago."

"Maybe she changed her mind!"

Luke mulled over this for a moment, then let out a frustrated sigh. "Maybe…" he said, obviously not agreeing with it.

"Just…keep your head together, ok?"

"Yeah," he said, taking the cup back and taking a deep breath. Lorelai tried to hand him a dollar but Luke shook his head.

"Keep it. On the house."

Lorelai flashed a smile and picked up her purse, standing up. "Thanks for the coffee," she grinned.

"Don't mention it." Luke nodded, still concerned.

"Don't freak," Lorelai added as she left the diner. The door closed with a soft thud behind her, and she headed down the sidewalk.

"LORELAI!" Babette's raspy voice called out in the night. Lorelai jumped and her hand flew to the chest.

"A little warning might be nice," Lorelai joked awkwardly. She feared that the town gossips would attack her for information soon.

"I hear you're harboring some hot young thing at your house! Rumor has it that he got hit by a bus and you saved him from cardiac arrest!" Babette excitedly said.

"Um, not exactly," Lorelai mumbled, shifting her feet from left to right.

"How old is the guy," Babette questioned.

"Erm, 15, we think..." Lorelai replied, glancing behind her. Luke's wasn't to far away, maybe she could make a run back for it.

"You think?" Babette asked in confusion. Crap.

"He's kinda, er, got amnesia," Lorelai replied quickly. "Look Babette, I've got two hungry teens waiting at home, soooo..."

"I'll walk back with you!" Babette said, hoping to get a glance at the stranger.

"But first I'm going to go get some movies!" Lorelai quickly added.

"Oh, sorry for holding ya up doll," Babette said.

"It's okay," Lorelai politely said.

"I'll stop by tomorrow so we can finish talking," Babette said with a definite under-plot in mind.

"Right," the older Gilmore nodded. "I'll see you later."

"Buh bye doll," Babette nodded with a smile.

* * *

A/N: OK, so whatcha all think? I'm glad that I've finally written a chapter where I didn't need the actual episode dialogue for it to work. Phew.

**Next Chapter: Sookie and Lorelai arrange for a dinner to introduce Joe to some fellow townspeople. Joe starts to meet the townsfolk on his own, starting with Lane and Taylor.**


End file.
